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Hookem grew up in the fishing community in the east of Hull, and left school at 15. His father worked on the docks.[4] Hookem enlisted in the Royal Air Force at the age of 17, and served for four years.[4]

After working in various trades he rejoined the military, serving in the Royal Engineers as a Commando Engineer for nine years.[4]

Hookem voted for the Labour Party until he became disillusioned with what he considered "a criminal Labour government".[4] In response to his disillusionment with Labour, Hookem joined UKIP in 2008, after having for years been a Labour member.[4]

Hookem was elected in 2014 to the European Parliament.[3] He had served as UKIP's regional chairman for Yorkshire and North Lincolnshire until that election. He was replaced as chairman by Judith Morris from July 2014.

On 6 October 2016, Hookem was reported to have been involved in a fight with fellow UKIP MEP Steven Woolfe during a UKIP meeting at the European Parliament in Strasbourg.[4][5][6] Hookem said he had not punched Woolfe, but did admit to a "scuffle" with him and that he acted in self-defence.[7][8] The altercation was an outgrowth of a party meeting to discuss news reports that Woolfe was in talks about defecting to the Conservative Party.[8] Hookem said Woolfe "took exception" to his comment about Woolfe turning his leadership application paperwork late.[8] Hookem was asked if he would accept a suspension and Hookem said: "If they suspend me, yes. By our rules if they suspend me they have to suspend Steven Woolfe".[8]

Hookem resigned his position as UKIP's deputy whip in August 2017, in protest at the party's decision to allow Anne Marie Waters, founder of the anti-Muslim pressure group Sharia Watch UK, to stand as a candidate in the party's upcoming leadership election.[9] Speaking to the BBC, he explained that was "disturbed" by party whip Stuart Agnew's support for Waters, he was not prepared to "turn a blind eye" to extremism and he believed "she should not be in the party and she should not be standing as a candidate." He confirmed that he would not quit the party should Waters be elected, but he would not support her.[10]

^ abcdefBooth, Robert (6 October 2016). "Mike Hookem: a 'working-class lad' who turned to Ukip". The Guardian. Kings Place, London. Retrieved 9 October 2016. A Labour voter most of his life, Mike Hookem joined Ukip in 2008 and recently became its defence spokesman. His father worked filleting fish on the Humberside docks and Hookem left school at 15, working in low-paid jobs before joining the Royal Air Force at 17. He left after four years but later rejoined the armed forces as commando engineer in the Royal Engineers. He has also worked as a bus and lorry driver, a carpenter and a joiner.